Summer Dreams Ripped at the Seams

Summer has been fab this year. College has been tough and stressful but so worth it and I've spent this summer feeling nothing but chilled. I've never been bored and I've also appreciated days where I've just eaten sweets and watched films. We've also had lovely skies like this:

Summer dreams ripped at the seams... Back to college I must go.

Although I have that horrible "ugh it's time to go back", grey-sky feeling about my second year at college, I am motivated. I'm feeling the fear of the year to come, but I'm excited. As I'm feeling both ends of the spectrum, it means I can work hard to reduce my fear but also not forget to enjoy the fun parts of college that will happen this year. Although I'll have exams and stress, I'll also have days out and nights with friends and this can't be forgotten amongst the mist of notes and panic. These are the things that will make it bearable. Getting everything sorted for university will, in turn make me motivated to get the grades that I need.

Aims for this year:

- I must read more. Although I've made time to read this year, I've not read as much as I would do and so when I'm a bit tired, instead of complaining and moping, I shall read! In turn, some of these books will be ones that will help with my university course.
- Prepare for university. This is so important. I've got my places figured out but I need to understand each different university course as well as booking everything I need.
- Ultimately I have to work my mismatched socks off. There's no more to it other than: I cannot disappoint myself.
- I need to learn not to publish a post if I'm not happy with it. I've been so focused on making sure I publish regularly (three times a week), that I sometimes overlook the fact I'm not happy with the post. Planning what I'm going to publish when has definitely helped with this as it means I know what posts need to be done and I have ages to think about it.

I wrote a post in the middle of July about That Feeling. I said that I hoped the feeling would stay with me and, all summer, it did. I have had the best summer and I am so sad it's over - so sad - but life goes on and all that.

Blue Skies & Fluffy Clouds,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

Sun, Water and Family Time

So I've just had a fabulously relaxing holiday and I'm not yet out of the I'm-so-chilled-I-just-need-to-lie-by-the-beach stage after a break away.

I miss it so much already. I can't fault a week away from my home with sun and a pool. As much as I love where I live and the people, time away is valuable. It's time to just relax without the internet, without stress and without thinking about stresses to come. One of my favourite things is turning up somewhere hot and being dressed a little too English-weather-ly, changing into swimming gear and getting in a pool and that's exactly what I did. I can't tell you how good it felt. I read a couple of books, listened to new and amazing albums and sunbathed to my heart's content as the weather was fab. Laaaaarvely. More importantly I ate until I wanted to stop. For me, that's the dream. I ate oh so much. This past year has been a hectic one for all of my family and so it was nice to have time together: sit by the pool together; eat together; be together.

On holiday I didn't think about college or university and because once I think of an idea about my blog, my mind will start writing it and I'll get very stressed, I barely thought about blog content. However, I also get randomly inspired, which I don't mind one bit. One series I have, A Cynical Romantic Sees Love very much so relies on a spontaneous moment that has caught my eye and made me smile and kept my eyes focused (in a not-so-creepy way) on the moment. Sometimes I get very stressed because they're my favourite posts to write but because I wasn't thinking about it, I saw one - and possibly two - moments that I will be publishing soon. I'm super excited about this because I love these moments so much. It actually taught me to not stress about finding one of these perfect moments because they will come along!

Although I've got that "ugh I'm back home" feeling, I'm also so refreshed and enjoying summer and my thoughts and plans for my blog have excited me, so, for now, I look forward to the next break with the family!

Bubbles & New Books,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

A Summer Break and a Happier Mind

This summer holiday has been a small saviour for me and, even if I do say so myself, it has been greatly deserved.

It was getting to the end of the year at college and I didn't feel like I was functioning right. I was tired all of the time, I was stressed and relieved when I was able to go home. All of this did not give me any kind of positive mind-set. Therefore I was counting down the days obsessively until the end of the year (about four weeks towards the end). I see I'm not painting a good picture of college but I felt drained, but I'm sure it will be worth it... In the end *shivers*.

I've never appreciated a break more than this year. I'm sleeping a full night's sleep, drifting off easily because I've got nothing to worry about and waking up with happiness: another day of something good. I can chill out with my friends or have a lazy day and go out in the evenings without thinking about homework or coursework or revision. And heck it feels guuuuurd (that good I'd start a sentence with "and").

One day in the summer I got up, read a few chapters of a book, got ready for the day, saw a friend, watched a movie, sunbathed and saw another friend and do you know why that's fab? It's fab because I'm doing lots in a day because I want to. I'm not being forced to go to a place that's causing me too much stress for a day or do a presentation that causes me to want to cry (not that I'm bitter or anything).

So far I am having the best summer. You know when people talk about being refreshed after a mini break or epiphany... or deciding to become a naturist? Well, I've had that (whilst being clothed). I feel so so so refreshed and new and my mind feels free. It's unbelievable what a break can do for you.

I just feel positive. I feel happy and motivated and excited about plans I'm making for my days in summer as well as my future plans. That feels good. It should be known that I actually, underneath all the stress and occasional tears (and when they come, there are lots of tears), I actually like college but this summer, this break for all of the stress has been amazing.

I'm now off to eat five pots of jelly, arrange a cinema trip and meet a friend to eat chocolate. Perfection? I'd say it's pretty close.

Video Games & Milkshake,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

Sunshine Sunshine La La La La Laaa!

These last two weeks of sunshine, for me have been  b-l-i-s-s. July 2013 has actually felt like summer in Britain which means that I'm passing smiley, happy people on the streets, Britain feeling like another country and I've loved it!

Something that epitomises summer is BBQs and good company. This is exactly what I've had: evenings with some good friends, good music, blue skies and decent grub! Blue skies are too beautiful and when there's fluffy Toy Story clouds, that's so pretty too! I just can't stop raving about this lovely weather and happiness that exists because of it.

The thing that I love the most is, of course, the beach! *Sings Seaside by the Kooks.* The last two weeks of beach sunshine has felt hotter than when I'm further from the beach. The air is warm and the little breeze is beautiful when it comes. If not, it's perfect tanning weather which makes me very happy! When I need to cool down, dipping my feet into the glistening pool of beauty (also known as the sea) feels too good. What's not to love about a heat wave at the beach with plenty of New Forest ice-cream? You with your hand up, shush! - this is not time for questions. There will be time at the end for that. Sheesh, anyway, where was I? The beach. After a stressful education-year, lazing about on the beach is stupidly perfect. So yeah, I love the beach.

All I've really spoken about is how perfect a sunny summer is, but I have loved it and am excited to see whether it carries on and enjoy the fun I will have! Lovely lovely lovely sunshine, la la la la LA!

Pebbles & Sand,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

Blue Skies and Smiles.

June's Joys

As June has been a fantabulous month I thought I'd write a blogpost about the things I've loved about June that I haven't already written about in other posts.

Something June brought that made me really super happy was a YouTube video that I couldn't help stare at for an hour straight: Alyssa Bernal and The New Velvet's song Peaches and Coffee. It's a really sweet song and made me feel happy for the girl in the song, making me feel like she could move on! I feel like I'm on the journey with her and it's incredibly catchy and lovely. Buy it on iTunes HERE.

The new and last (cries for a few minutes) series of 90210 has started and every Monday night I've been glued to the drama and the beaches and... I've missed that show. As every episode finishes, I'm counting down the days until my next dosage of Liam Court. As you would expect, the show has been breathtakingly dramatic and exciting, so Monday, I'm ready.

Something in June that has been awesome is Wayward Daughter's new EP How Long Will You Wander. Any positive word in the world's dictionary will not describe the sheer amazingness of it. All of the songs are perfectly recorded and I'm super psyched that a recording of The Game is on it and although I physically couldn't have a favourite Wayward Daughter song, I LOVE The Game - probably because I feel awesome singing along to it! The EP is one of my favourite things ever.

Being a tennis fan, the end of June, the beginning of Wimbledon is a fantastic time. All of my favourite sportspeople are in one place and the whole nation shares one of my deepest passions. The tournament has meant me spending hours on end watching players create fantastic moments, only moving to get food and a lot of strawberries and cream. Even though I'm gutted for a handful of my favourite players being out so early on in the tournament, I am SO excited for my favourite player, Murray!

Kodaline released their debut album In A Perfect World and it is a p-e-r-fect album. It's everything that makes me happy and it puts a huge smile on my face reading the amazing reviews about it and reading people rave about them on tut internet. They really deserve it. Right now, as I type I'm listening to Love Like This and... *breathes, sighs and smiles*, I love Kodaline.

June has been a lovely, relaxing but exciting month full of BBQs and good company. This has meant good food and having fun and some chill time with family and friends. A good week of sunshine meant a very happy me but the miserable weather that naturally followed was spent with a smile on my face too. So June has given me an extra reminder of how much I love my family and friends.

Blogposts about other things I've loved this month:
DEMI blogpost
Man of Steel blogpost

Peaches & Coffee,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

Blue Skies and Smiles

Being a girl who, although loves snow and the festivey, cold season, is waiting for sunshine throughout most of the year, has meant this last week has been glorious. Yes, we complain about England's poor history of delivering half-decent summers but we just had a lovely, lovely week full of sun and blue skies which meant a happy as Larry me!

Waking up to clear blue skies means it's easier and a more exciting chore to wake up. I'm more motivated which means I'm making lots of plans and smiling lots and lots. I've been walking every day (I love a good walk) and seeing the lovely beach an awful lot, reading in the garden and feeling quite refreshed with a layer of tan making me look a bit less sickly! I've had no worries this week and have felt really happy and excited. You know when you look outside and suddenly see everything differently because everything's that bit brighter? I've had a strong case of this.

I've felt so chilled and I haven't been panicking about University or thinking about the heart-stoppingly-scary results that I'll open with a fearful expression in a few months (but now I am) because life's here for living, not for worrying and the sun has reminded me of this! The sun has brainwashed me into a daze of daisies and freshly cut grass; the worries beyond my bubble are less obvious, less visible. I've enjoyed this freedom.

I don't normally do posts like this but I have had a really lovely week and I think that it is important to remember that things aren't always cold and wintery (oh gosh, I think I'm trying to make a serious point here): things do get brighter and better! Do you see my point now? No? I, too often get into my own little swing of pathetic fallacy, allowing my emotions to turn as soon as the weather does. So when my life goes grey, I'll try that bit harder to motivate myself and ignore the clouds that are shadowing my every move.

This lovely weather has allowed me to sit and reflect on the most perfect week. Lots of memories with friends and family have been made, lots of photos have been taken and lots of smiles have been produced. Thank you England for delivering our week of summer when you did.

Milkshake & The Beach,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

With a Spring in my Step

The day of Spring and warmth we had in England a week or so ago has made me crave for sunshine more then ever. With this in my mind, I feel happier and that everything is slightly more accomplishable.

March is normally the beginning of the end of excruciating coldness and thereby making England a more brighter place: trees are pink; birds are tweeting (this may not be everyone's cup of tea); summer is in the near distance. This time used to be when my excitement was near its fullest due to it being when we were FINALLY ALLOWED BACK ON THE FIELD AT SCHOOL. This literally made my life every year. Now I look forward to it as it makes any horrible task that bit nicer.

I have always thought that in England we appreciate the bursts of sun we have because, let's face it, it doesn't happen often and so as soon as we have those seven days of what we call a "heat wave" in May, (when in fact it's a chilly day in Spain) I've got my lotion and shorts at the ready.

Sunshine makes most happier. It makes hair lighter and skin darker. It makes farfetched dreams seem not-so-farfetched and the lighter evenings, a slight chill in the atmosphere makes romance and goals and friendship movie-like.

I, therefore, cannot wait for the light that lasts longer and the smile that it creates. I can't wait for the sweeter atmosphere, blue sky and exciting fruit. You know, strawberries? Do you not just miss strawberries? Strawberries and cream... Spring, can you just be here already?

Sunshine is saviour from reality.

Castles & Princesses,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

P.S. Yes, it's snowing right now and so this post seems ridiculous but SPRING I'M READY.

The Summer Promise

Due to it being February and therefore the weather is rainy and grim or crisp and unbearable, it is safe to say I think of The Summer Promise more often than I probably should and I do not doubt that I am not the only one. When I was younger The Summer Promise was the six weeks that concluded the school year and was a time to eat ice-cream all day with my friends or just be bored all day. It would be perfect. As I became older I, like a lot of teenagers got caught up in the fantasy of the perfect summer. I am a huge book, music and film fan and they often create the picture of sandy beaches and strawberry-picking and, obviously, a beautiful romance.

Reality, however, is often incredibly different: boring English weather with the occasional glimpse of sun; a lack of motivation; the complete contradiction to how it should be.

I want to make daisy-chains, sit on the beach and listen to music and, more importantly I want to have no worries. Instead, the ominous mist of exams and pressure is spread out before me. A shadow of gloom and doom. It will pass though and between now and summer we will have English early, promising bursts of outrageously warm summer days and I, for one, cannot wait.

The Summer Promise will still be pumping through my veins throughout the months of February, March and early April: the expectation of Ryan Gosling sweeping me off my bare feet with an anklet; staying up with friends with ginger beer and pizza (I am definitely picturing a Mallory-Towers-esque scene); endless pretty clothes. Oh well.

And I'll keep holding on to The Summer Promise with my winter-coloured hands,

Lemonade & Sequins,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

P.s. We're all in this together (you sang it, don't deny it: GO WILDCATS).